What's Old is New Again
by Cally Starkiller
Summary: Who knew that a mabari hound named Cullen and an orange tabby named Ser Pounce-a-lot could bring out the old in the new? Oneshot.


**Author's Note: This could've been better. Like a lot better. But I was so tired of trying to fit it extra tidbits that I said, 'Fuck it!' and now here you are. Hopefully not reading this. **

**But nevertheless...**

**Read. Review. Roadkill.**

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><p>Anders cradled his new kitten lovingly, the fact that the kitty looked almost exactly like his old one made him sigh. "Meow?" He could've sworn the cat meowed as if questioning his small moment of sadness. Anders merely patted it on the head, smiling dotingly down at it.<p>

"I'm sorry kitty it's just…you remind me so much of Ser Pounce-a-lot. What a brave cat he was." The kitty only snuggled up closer to Anders, purring as if it were content with Ander's presence.

Anders was walking around aimlessly and had taken a boat, realizing he ended up in the Gallows and the kitten reacted badly to his tension by taking a swat at the first thing it saw. Anders's face. He sputtered momentarily but saw that the little kitten had jumped out of his arms and was hissing viciously at passerby's, clearly trying to protect the more than capable mage. "Kitty get back here!" Anders whispered harshly though to be perfectly honest with himself, he was touched.

A few circle mages glanced his way and the templars seemed to have taken note of him as well and Anders could've believe how incredibly stupid he is. Thinking he was only taking a tour of Kirkwall for his kitten and to take a boat all the way to the Gallows…

"Meow." The orange tabby's tail flickered once before pawing at Ander's foot. Anders scooped up the kitten and shook his head, wagging a finger at it.

"Be careful Ser Pounce-a-lot." Anders ignored the tabby's curious meow at being called the name and continued with his little lecture. "Templars here are more…mean." Chuckling at his understatement Anders decided to ignore the Templar's stares and suspicious looks, and to browse the mage's goods. It irked him to be even remotely near the Tranquil mage that was selling the staffs. But he needed to repay Hawke somehow for giving him the little cute tabby. Anders picked up a runed staff, twirling it once before setting it back down. It occurred to him that a mere staff could never express how thankful he was for Hawke and her friendship. Especially since she got him the gift that nothing could ever top off.

"True friends are a rare sight." Anders started, subconsciously tickling the kitten behind it's ear. He grabbed hold onto another staff, trying to picture Hawke using it. The image fit perfectly in his mind…

_Hawke's intense look of concentration as she barreled down the narrow hallway, twirling her new staff between her fingers. Her rather imaginative if not crude war cry echoing, 'For Andrastate's tits!'. Magic spilling from her fingertips and traveling up the staff, hitting her enemies precisely. The way Hawke twisted and turned her body with the weapon he bought her…_

Immediately Anders backed away, setting the staff on it's shelf and muttered under his breath. "I need more coins…" Although of course, it wasn't the truth. Anders continued on his way, hoping to find a different gift, a gift that didn't expose his mind to such images of Hawke…

He stopped by the Gallow's next shop, drawing nearer to Knight-Captain Cullen's position, fascinated by the various sorts of daggers and staffs on sale. "At times I wish people were more like animals." Anders admitted to the kitten who was resting comfortably on his shoulder, attracted to the feathers no doubt. "Animals don't try to change you or make you someone different. They're just happy to be in your presence. Animals aren't too picky with friendships. Animals like you just the way you are, whether mage or templar. They listen to you, hear out your problems, comfort you with just a purr, and all they ask back is a little food." Anders sighed heavily whilst stroking the tabby's fur, observing another staff that might be to Hawke's liking.

"Isn't that right Ser Pounce-a-lot?" Anders inquired to the kitten who meowed loudly in warning but it was far too late.

Hawke's stinky mabari hound was running loose, most likely due to Hawke's negligence at closing the door all the way. The dog tackled the poor mage, kitten too, and Ander's string of curses followed. "Most of the time unfortunately, **some **animals get on your nerves too many times." Anders noted that the mabari was dripping wet and narrowed his eyes at the dog. "See? This is why I prefer cats."

The dog whined at Anders, tilting his head up at him. "Oh go away Cullen."

"What?" Anders nearly swore under his breath, turning around to face the Knight-Captain. "I'm here to stay, apostate."

"I wasn't talking to you Knight-Captain." Anders said lowly, scooping his kitten back up into his arms.

"Then who…?" Cullen's eyes slowly trailed up and down the mabari hound, realization lighting up his face. "H-Hawke named h-he-her dog after m-me?" Cullen resorted to his old familiar behavior back when he was in the Lake Calenhand Circle with that Amell girl, all nervous and stuttering. Anders, having been in the same Circle as Cullen, recognized the odd jitter in his voice. Anders broke out into a silly grin, feeling like his old self as well around this particular templar. It was rather disconcerting if not comforting to feel this way. Especially with a templar.

"She sure did! Out of all of the names in Thedas, she chose Cullen. What a coincidence, right?" Anders, smiling his old smile back when Justice didn't have a tight hold on him, teasing the Knight-Captain.

"I-it must be." Cullen furiously cleared his throat, cheeks burning red, a tickle in the pit of the stomach. The butterflies no doubt and she wasn't even anywhere nearby. "I'm sure y-you have other business to attend to…apostate."

Anders only nodded, listening to the steady purr of his kitten Ser Pounce-a-lot, walking with the dog alongside him.

The encounter with Cullen, the orange tabby, and the dog. It all reminded him of his good old days without Justice.

Sometimes he missed those days.


End file.
